Archive for August, 2016

“A federal government ban on the sale of guns to medical marijuana card holders does not violate the Second Amendment … The ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals applies to the nine Western states that fall under the court’s jurisdiction … It came in a lawsuit filed by S. Rowan Wilson, a Nevada woman who tried to buy a firearm in 2011 after obtaining a medical marijuana card. The gun store refused, citing the federal rule on the sale of firearms to illegal drug users …”

Probably correct from a liability standpoint given federal laws in effect, but pointless from a public safety standpoint.

“… In addition, a ban on the sale of guns to marijuana and other drug users is reasonable because the use of such drugs “raises the risk of irrational or unpredictable behavior with which gun use should not be associated,” Senior District Judge Jed Rakoff said …”

We’re talking about weed here, not PCP. People high PCP have been known to get violent. People high on marijuana want pizza rolls.

“… Christie said he wants to make New Jersey a “shall-issue” state for concealed carry firearms, where authorities who issue gun licenses grant them in most cases … [Christie] proposed eliminating the “nearly-insurmountable ‘justifiable need’ standard and requiring the issuance of a carry permit to anyone who is not legally disqualified from possessing a firearm and who can demonstrate an understanding of the safe handling of a handgun,” according to his office …”

It’s been a long time since New York passed something like this. It is not going anywhere right now in Jersey, but hopefully it will encourage other politicians in the northeast to publicly talk about the issue.

“… The NRA’s political victory fund has reserved about $2.7 million in TV commercials from the week of Sept. 5 through the week of Oct. 18, Kantar Media’s political ad tracker shows. Most ads are set to begin Sept. 20. Like the Republican presidential nominee’s campaign, the NRA is focusing on Ohio, North Carolina and Pennsylvania. The group also will advertise across the country … In all, the NRA is on track to spend at least $7.6 million on presidential commercials, Kantar Media shows …”

Other than campaign money, the only reason to join the IDC would be if she believes they are going to be in a more advantageous position next year than the mainline caucus. That happens if the Republicans don’t pick up seats or lose a few they currently hold.

If this is such a good idea then why aren’t private investors putting up the cash? Probably something to due to the fact that numerous people have been messing around with the idea for like 50 years with not much to show for it.

“… “We expect every other product, from cars to children’s toys, to include safety features that protect the safety of authorized users,” said Borough President Adams. “We need to start applying the same basic principle to firearms, which kill tens of thousands of people each year, often in suicides or accidental shootings that smart gun technology has the potential to prevent. Additionally, as a former police officer, I know from personal experience the deadly consequences of illegal guns on the streets of New York City …””

He loves bringing up the fact he is a former police officer, like that makes him an expert on firearms.

Here’s a video from awhile back of our expert demonstrating his skills by having a finger on the trigger while pointing the muzzle at his own face, 4:05 mark.

“Republican Jack Martins, running for Congress in a battleground Long Island district, is among the Republicans this year who are not endorsing Donald Trump, but still voting for him this year. In an interview with Bill Samuels’s Effective Radio on AM 970 this weekend, Martins acknowledged both Trump and Hillary Clinton are “flawed candidates.” … “Thankfully, I’ve always run as an individual. I’ve had the opportunity through elective office to take stances of different things and people know who I am, so I’ve been able to use that and show through experience that I listen, I work across the aisle, I get things done,” Martins said …”

“Gov. Cuomo’s new commitment to Democratic control of the state Senate after years of backing Republicans is a direct result of Donald Trump’s sinking presidential campaign and the possibility it will take GOP senators down with it, senior Democrats told The Post. They also said Cuomo’s new stance … results from his fear that anything short of genuine support for fellow Democrats this year could blow up in his face in the form of a primary campaign against him in 2018 …”

The possibility that Cuomo could get knocked out by the Trump train is one of the few positive aspects I can think of about his campaign.

“… Another prominent Democrat said private polling data showing Trump’s support in New York state sharply declining over the past two weeks convinced Cuomo “that the Democrats have a good chance to take the Senate anyway, so he might as well get on board.” “The polls indicate that several Long Island Republicans may be swept out to sea because of Trump’s unpopularity,’’ the Democrat continued, naming Sens. Kemp Hannon and Carl Marcellino (R-Nassau) as being especially vulnerable …”

Not just on the Island. There are ~4000 newly registered Democrats in Bill Larkin’s district so he could go. Plus he turns 89 soon.

This is one of the districts I had thought the GOP would lose because Claudia Tenney had some problems getting the party to back her. If the DNC is worried about Babinec siphoning votes away from Kim Myers I am more optimistic Tenney will go the distance. There is a small Republican majority in the district.

“A week after Democrats held their national convention in Philadelphia, Gov. Andrew Cuomo hosted a mini-summit with several fellow Democrats in the state Senate to discuss winning strategies in November … One source briefed on the gathering said the group discussed “winning” the chamber for Democrats …”

They already have “won” the chamber having a majority of 32 seats. They just do not have organizational control.

“… Cuomo also asked Democrats to pipe down with charges that he has hitherto done little to dislodge Republicans from the leadership of the chamber …”

That is because the Republican “leadership” is in title only. The person running the Senate is Gov. Cuomo. The problem (for Democrats) lies in the difference of opinion on what winning means to each of them. For the mainline Democrat caucus, they would consider it a win if they were in charge. Gov. Cuomo on the other hand wins when the people he wants hold leadership positions and do what he says. That is what is happening now and what he will be working on maintaining this fall.